Outdoor Blog

The Tour of Mont Blanc, a 110-mile hike through the Alps in France, Italy and Switzerland, meanders through villages and is connected by an extensive system of refuges (huts), hostels and inns. Though some carry full backpacking gear for a mountain expedition, many carry daypacks and take advantage of the many shelters. Once the decision … Continue reading »

I’ve been curious about backpacking in the Trinity Alps of Northern California for a long time but trips to the Sierra kept taking precedent. This year, with the huge layer of snow that blanketed the Sierra, I decided it was high time I checked out Trinity. While Trinity gets a lot of snow as well, … Continue reading »

Many people have trouble coming up with a relatively healthy meal plan that has adequate calories and protein for backpacking. This can be a real challenge for those with a high metabolism who have significant calorie needs. How to determine calorie needs is a complex topic. There are formulas but they are, at best, only … Continue reading »

On my recent snow backpacking trip to Lake of the Woods in Desolation Wilderness over Memorial Day, I found that it was impossible to be ultralight. I’m usually only in the “light” category anyway, with a base weight of 12-16 lbs depending on whether I have a bear canister and any luxury items. I have … Continue reading »

In this epic snow year of 2017, summer backpackers may find themselves pitching their tent in snow. If that happens, they will quickly discover that regular tent pegs will pop right out of the snow. I’m no snow expert (unless I’m on skis) but this year I’ve started to acquire some snow backpacking skills. First … Continue reading »

I had a lot of questions about food when planning our self-guided trek on the 100-mile Tour of Mont Blanc. It was a relief to not have to plan our usual backpacking menu since I had just done five backpacking trips in one summer but I wondered what we would find. I anticipated much … Continue reading »

Pioneer Basin is a treasure trove of high alpine lakes tucked into the Sierra Nevada. Located near Mammoth Lakes, it can be accessed from the Mono Creek Trail or a more adventurous cross-country route over Hopkins Pass via the McGee Creek Trail. The reward for the effort involved in the steep ascent from the … Continue reading »

When planning a hike of the Tour of Mont Blanc (TMB), which circles around the Mont Blanc massif, the choices immediately get overwhelming. Once you’re on the trail it becomes even more obvious that, while there may be an official TMB route, the variations are endless. About the TMB The Tour of Mont Blanc is … Continue reading »

Day 4 of backpacking the Santa Cruz Trail in the Cordillera Blanca dawned with welcome sun to help us dry out. To see how we planned for our independent trek, see Planning an independent backpacking trip on the Santa Cruz Trail, and to read about our first day, see Hiking the Santa Cruz Trail in Peru: Day 1. In … Continue reading »

We were on our 3rd day of backpacking the Santa Cruz Trail in the Cordillera Blanca, a mountain range in Peru, and were ready to tackle the Punta Union, the highest point on the trail. My husband and I were hiking independently but had camped in a designated campsite near a guided group. To see how … Continue reading »